The Knights got back into the PCAC South championship race by getting a much-needed 75-66 home victory over Southwestern to move within a game of the Jaguars for first place.
Kiley Pope led the Knights with a game-high 24 points to go with nine rebounds and three steals. Breeana Gafare played her first game since January 4 and notched a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals, and two blocks.
Elliott Nixon contributed 15 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
After holding a 34-29 halftime lead, City came out strong in the second half with an 8-2 run to take its largest lead, 42-31, on a 3-pointer from Alyssa Wolfblack.
Southwestern, led by Satera Bates' and Maya Robinson' 16 points, battled back to cut the Knights' lead down to 49-46 at the end of the third quarter.
The Jaguars had it down to three points two more times in the fourth quarter, but the Knights had an answer each time. With City leading, 66-62, with 2:55 remaining in the game, Pope took over and scored nine straight points for the Knights in the midst of a 9-4 run to help her team pull away. Pope hit 5-of-7 free throws down the stretch and added two layups.
The Knights improved to 3-3 in league, while Southwestern dropped to 4-2. City will finish the season with a road game at Mesa on January 20 and a home game against Imperial Valley on January 22. Southwestern will wrap up with games against Grossmont and Mesa.
City has won the last two conference championships.
